What is the name of your state?
South Carolina
I have a five month old 2005 Dodge pickup truck that sustained a 4" vertical dent in the fender that traversed a molded body contour line (the area where the fender flares out). The accident was my fault so I planned to pay out of pocket.
I took the truck to a local body shop (not the Dodge dealership, which is small and does not have a body shop) and asked the owner if the dent could
be repaired or the fender would need replacing. He said that the dent could be repaired.
I left the truck with him and picked it up after one week. I paid the bill with VISA at that time.
Upon getting the truck home, I saw ripples in the finish of the repaired area. I took the truck back. When I picked it up the second time, there were sanding marks so coarse that the paint appeared to be applied with a brush. Took it back a third time. They fixed the sanding marks but the truck now has a soft edge in the molded contour line of the fender.
I filed a report with the BBS requesting a refund for the repair, which was $540. The owner of the body shop ignored my request. I'm glad he did, because this morning I noticed that the repair was botched more than I had thought - there is also an irregular margin about three feet long where they didn't properly feather the repainting near the top of the fender.
The sheetmetal of this fender has been re-worked three times. I am thinking it may be best to replace the whole fender, which will be about $1500. I plan to take the truck to another body shop. I do not want this body shop going near the truck anymore.
Questions:
- Should I inform the owner of the body shop that that I plan to sue him before I file the paperwork for small claims court?
- How can I get objective opinions as to what needs to be done - a fourth repair of the fender or a replacement - to do the job right? Would written estimates from other body shops suffice, or would they be considered non-objective?
- The cost of the botched repair was $540. If the fender can not be fixed and needs to be replaced, can I sue for the amount of a replacement?
- Should I get an estimate to have the fender replaced and sue for the estimate amount or have the fender work done, pay the bill, and sue for the cost?
- I have taken pictures of the fender with a newspaper in each shot in order to confirm the date the pictures were made, which was after the third botched repair. Is there anything else I could do that will strengthen my case?
Thanks all
Jim
South Carolina
I have a five month old 2005 Dodge pickup truck that sustained a 4" vertical dent in the fender that traversed a molded body contour line (the area where the fender flares out). The accident was my fault so I planned to pay out of pocket.
I took the truck to a local body shop (not the Dodge dealership, which is small and does not have a body shop) and asked the owner if the dent could
be repaired or the fender would need replacing. He said that the dent could be repaired.
I left the truck with him and picked it up after one week. I paid the bill with VISA at that time.
Upon getting the truck home, I saw ripples in the finish of the repaired area. I took the truck back. When I picked it up the second time, there were sanding marks so coarse that the paint appeared to be applied with a brush. Took it back a third time. They fixed the sanding marks but the truck now has a soft edge in the molded contour line of the fender.
I filed a report with the BBS requesting a refund for the repair, which was $540. The owner of the body shop ignored my request. I'm glad he did, because this morning I noticed that the repair was botched more than I had thought - there is also an irregular margin about three feet long where they didn't properly feather the repainting near the top of the fender.
The sheetmetal of this fender has been re-worked three times. I am thinking it may be best to replace the whole fender, which will be about $1500. I plan to take the truck to another body shop. I do not want this body shop going near the truck anymore.
Questions:
- Should I inform the owner of the body shop that that I plan to sue him before I file the paperwork for small claims court?
- How can I get objective opinions as to what needs to be done - a fourth repair of the fender or a replacement - to do the job right? Would written estimates from other body shops suffice, or would they be considered non-objective?
- The cost of the botched repair was $540. If the fender can not be fixed and needs to be replaced, can I sue for the amount of a replacement?
- Should I get an estimate to have the fender replaced and sue for the estimate amount or have the fender work done, pay the bill, and sue for the cost?
- I have taken pictures of the fender with a newspaper in each shot in order to confirm the date the pictures were made, which was after the third botched repair. Is there anything else I could do that will strengthen my case?
Thanks all
Jim